he post-millennium years saw Prince Andrew venture north of Watford several times – between 2001 and 2011 he was here ten times.

In December 2008 he came here in his role as UK Special Representative for International Trade and Investment. Although the country was in the grip of the banking credit crunch, the message the Prince got was reportedly upbeat.

“I’d like to know where you get all this attitude from. You’ve got spades of it,” he told business representatives at the meeting hosted by building and shopfitting contractor PEC Building Services on the Euroway Estate.

Prince Andrew said the economic downturn was likely to be deeper and last longer than many expected. But presenting a crisis as an opportunity, he added: “Now is the right time to put in the infrastructure so when the good times come it will all be paid back.”

Prince Andrew was familiar with the spirit of enterprise he heard described at that meeting. In March, 2005, he had opened the Royds Enterprise Park in Buttershaw, the £6 million development designed and built by Royds Community Association.

Nine years from Royds’ deputy chief executive Raj Paneer first having the idea, 48 businesses had moved into the park, most of them new starts, creating 150 jobs and turning over £500,000. Central government had been mightily impressed. So was the Prince.

He said: “This is an outstanding development and an outstanding organisation and is deserving of recognition not just from a member of the royal family but from politicians and other people around the country... This is a model for others across the country to follow.”

The Prince may have had a similar impression when, in December 2001, he visited Woolston House in Goitside, a business hub in Tetley Street with 80 small firms employing some 300 people.

The place has since been converted into flats, but nearly 11 years ago the regeneration of Woolston House, formerly offices of the travel company Intasun, offered the promise of revitalisation to an area of Bradford that had long been in decline.

Prince Andrew was there to open the Northern branch of the National School of Social Entrepreneurs and to present one of his Duke of York Community awards to the Clayton Live at Home scheme for the elderly.

He said: “It is through community that people understand how society works. We have got to encourage this community to live,to breathe and to grow together.”